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John Kiriakou

What is john kiriakou?

· James MacDonald

Key facts

Full name John Chris Kiriakou[1]
Birth date August 9, 1964[1]
Birth place Sharon, Pennsylvania, U.S.[1]
Role former Central Intelligence Agency officer[1]
Role former senior investigator for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee[2]
Role whistleblower[1]

John Kiriakou is a former CIA officer and whistleblower known for exposing the agency's use of waterboarding and other torture practices.

Context

John Kiriakou is a former CIA officer who gained notoriety for revealing the agency's use of waterboarding and other torture methods. He was imprisoned for leaking classified information and is currently on federal probation. His actions have made him a notable figure in discussions about government accountability and whistleblowing [1].

Documented claims

  • John Kiriakou publicly confirmed in 2007 that the CIA used waterboarding, disclosing the agency’s torture practices. [1]
  • He became the first former CIA officer to confirm waterboarding and to label it as torture. [2]
  • He served 23 months in prison after his disclosure. [3]
  • He led CIA counterterrorism operations in Pakistan after 9/11. [4]

Questions and answers

Why was John Kiriakou jailed?

John Kiriakou was jailed for leaking the names of two CIA agents, serving 23 months in prison [3].

What is John Kiriakou doing now?

John Kiriakou is currently on federal probation after his release from prison [3].

Sources

  1. John Kiriakou - Biography — imdb.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. John Kiriakou | Intelligence & Global Studies | MGIS Spain — globalandinternationalstudies.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. John Kiriakou - Giraffe Heroes Project — giraffe.org (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  4. John Kiriakou - Bay Path University — linkedin.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in People